There seems to be no stopping James Earl Jones.

The legendary actor, whose voice has been heard in the Star Wars movies (as Darth Vader), Disney's animated marvel 'The Lion King' and on CNN (in their ubiquitous bumper promos), has booked his second Broadway show – within a year.

The 80-year-old thespian is currently starring as Hoke Colburn, the chauffeur in the critically-acclaimed revival of 'Driving Miss Daisy.'

Now comes word that he will star in the role of the feisty, folksy and wily ex- U.S. President Arthur Hockstader in a revival of 'Gore Vidal's The Best Man,' which is slated to start its Broadway run in the spring of 2012.
The play about power, ambition, political secrets and the race for the presidency will be directed by Michael Wilson, who recently directed the acclaimed epic production of Horton Foote's 'The Orphans Home Cycle Part I,II and III' at The Signature Theatre Company as well as the recent 'Dividing The Estate' on Broadway.

The upcoming production of 'Best Man' will be the play's first major revival since its much heralded run in 2000.

Jones, a former janitor, made his Broadway debut in 1957 and had his first breakthrough role in 1960 when theater czar Joseph Papp cast him in Shakespeare's 'Henry V,' marking the beginning of Jones's long affiliation with the New York Shakespeare Festival, eventually taking on the title roles of Othello, Macbeth and King Lear.

Jones has won Tony Awards for the Broadway productions of 'The Great White Hope' and' August Wilson's Fences.'

Last year, he garnered an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor for his turn as Big Daddy in Stephen Byrd's all-black version of Tennessee Williams's 'Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.'

A native of Arkabutla, Mississippi, Jones has had an illustrious film career too; including his Oscar nominated role in 'The Great White Hope,' 'Dr. Strangelove,' 'Claudine,' 'A Piece of the Action' and 'Cry The Beloved Country' and 'Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins.'